Global History Test Africa

Global History Test- Africa This time around I will only answer the questions on the review sheet she gave us. If you already have the answers than you probably don’t need this.

Major Climate Zones Desert (Sahara, Kalahari) - The Sahara is in the northern parts of Africa while the Kalahari is in the south-west. The characteristics of the desert climate zone are arid climate and little to no rain. Rainforests- They are near the equator, are humid, and feature dense vegetation. Savanna- The grassy plains with good soil but little rainfall, most of Africa Mediterranean- fertile lands and moderate temperature all year round (think Rome and Greece) Steppe- a vast tree-less plain with a semi-arid climate, found between the Sahara and the savanna Subsistence Methods Desert- hunting and gathering (today limited into the Kalahari) Bedouins are nomadic pastoralists who are in the Sahara Rainforest- horticulture or cultivating of crops, they use human power and the slash and burn subsistence method (grow crops in one area for a few years and then move on) Savanna- Pastoralism (go around feeding animals on pastures but not necessarily moving) Mediterranean- farming, intensive agriculture Steppe- Pastoralists Variety in Cultures Hunter-Gatherer Bands- had a small community of 20-30, ruled by person with respect of the community, had no real power but ruled by respect, these communities mostly family Horticulture- tribes with chiefs are needed because the people need someone to handle surplus The chief is a form of centralized government and got power through blood and respect. This government was informal because there were no formal laws. Pastoralism- political organization—tribes Villages that usually come together at times of need Government- headman society

like chief/ village leader who also lacks power because of egalitarian

Intensive Agriculture- there is a surplus so people need a centralized, formal government which has real authority and power Social Glue People in hunting bands are family. Tribes are united by a common ancestor. There are also age sets you are born into. You spend your entire life with your age set. An example for a short time is Class of ’12. For barriers of movement I’m guessing deserts.

Griots are professional poets that recite ancient stories.

Traditional African religion is the worshipping of many gods associated with nature who the Africans try to influence through rituals and ceremonies that they practiced. Village elders call upon spirits like when asking for rain while diviners seek advice about the future from spirits. They thought that there was one god above the rest who created the universe and was helped by lower spirits. Africans turn to dead ancestors for help. Push- Pull Factors Environment Push- Used up land, not enough rainfall, etc. Pull- land, access to sea, surplus of food, etc. Political Push- discriminatory laws Pull- religious or economic freedom (tax) Economic Push- unemployment, inflation Pull- markets The Bantu migrated because of desertification and it was important because over 400 ethnic groups are labeled by this. The migration spread the use of iron tools for farming, leading to a surplus of food which supports larger populations. There is also a language that 66% of Africans now had in common

12.2

Something is made valuable by scarcity, quality, and context (meaning one places on something). Gold and salt were traded in the trans- Saharan trade and they were made valuable for the quality of gold and the scarcity of salt. They were of equal value because of this. Ghana became wealthy by monopolizing the gold-salt trade. They imposed taxes on traders who were often in these parts. They also made gold seem scare to increase value.

Islam spread to North Africa through conquest. Islam spread to West Africa through trade. The camel was very important because it was similar to a ship that rode through the desert. Islam influenced the kingdom of Ghana because they had Muslim scholars in government. A lot of people converted to Islam even though the majority remained animistic. Mali and Ghana Once again they monopolize the gold-salt trade for profit. Mali was a little different as they were a Muslim kingdom whose body of law was the Shari’a. The effects of Mansa Musa’s hajj were that he made alliances, caused inflation in Egypt, increased interest in African gold, and attracted scholars to Timbuktu.

In Songhai the leader is Askia Muhammad, a Muslim ruler. What he did was centralize power by getting countries under control and then setting up a good bureaucracy. What he did in the end was standardize stuff like a system of weights etc. Islam also takes hold.

12.3

Christianity spread to East Africa b/c of trade with Mediterranean. In the kingdom of Axum conversion to Christianity left it isolated after Islam began to dominate in North Africa, leading to Axum declining. Axum and Eastern African city-states became centers of trade because it set up a triangular trade with India, Africa, and the Mediterranean. They were also near the port city of Adulis. Trade made cultural diffusion happen. This spread Judaism, Islam, and Christianity which led to the creation of the language of Swahili. Swahili is a language made of mixed cultures fusing Arabic words onto Bantu bases. Great Zimbabwe is thought to be a center of trade because porcelain from China and beads from India were found in the ruins. Historians think Great Zimbabwe declined because of overfarming and civil war along with traders trying to get to the gold by excavating.

I couldn’t find my notes for the Great Zimbabwe thing: Good luck on that part.